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It's Official! Apple Announces Sept 9 Event; iPhones, iWatch Expected

By Jim Karpenon Thu, 08/28/2014

Apple sent out invitations today to an event to be held September 9, as was rumored. Not only is everyone expecting Apple to announce the iPhone 6, but also, according to the well-connected website Re/code, they will be introducing a wearable device. The invitation simply gives the date and, as usual, is very cryptic, saying only "Wish we could say more." If Apple follows their typical schedule, the new iPhone 6 will go on sale September 19. The event will be held at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts in Cupertino, which is three times larger and closer to Apple's headquarters than the usual venue at the Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco. Not only that, but according to iMore, Apple is constructing a large, three-storey building next the Flint Center in advance of the event. And everyone is tight-lipped about what purpose it will serve.

All of this is exciting — that the date is finally official, and that Apple seems to be planning something big.

Apple's invitations to their events are always vague, but this one is especially so. Often the invitation has included hints, such as last year when it said, "This should brighten everyone's day," apparently hinting at the colorful iPhone 5c that was announced. But it's hard to find any hint in "Wish we could say more," other than perhaps its being deliberately open-ended. If Apple does plan to introduce both a larger iPhone and a wearable, hinting at one might overshadow the other, since both will make a big splash.

Sometimes, too, the design gives hints. But in this case, it's simply the top portion of the familiar Apple logo. To me, the graceful soft curves hint at a wearable device much more than the sharp angles of a phone. And if Apple does introduce a wearable product or products, there would obviously be a lot of interest among the press attending the event to try it out. That could be the reason for the extra space that Apple is building.

In addition, if the event serves to also introduce products related to their new HomeKit platform, that would require a lot of space for demonstration.

Overall, the invitation and venue suggest to me something big is coming — a lot more than just a larger iPhone. It won't be long until we find out.

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Jim Karpen holds a Ph.D. in literature and writing, and has a love of gizmos. His doctoral dissertation focused on the revolutionary consequences of digital technologies and anticipated some of the developments taking place in the industry today. Jim has been writing about the Internet and technology since 1994 and has been using Apple's visionary products for decades.

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